Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-26
FEB 26. 1887.
WAsHINGTON LETTER.
From OR Regular Correspondent.
WARRINGTON. Feb. 2, 1887

WARRINGTON. Feb. 2, 1887.
The chaplain OF the house of represen-
tatives is nothing if not eccentric in his
morning prayers. Since pr. MiIburns
petitions occasioned criticism last session
he has been more conservative in his de
mands at the Throne Of Grace, but a few
DAYS ago the Rey. gentleman surprised the
house by praying fortle wife of Secretary
Whitney and the babe.
This caused a certain congressman whose
infant daughter was the same age as the
new "cabinent bud" to accuse the chap
lain of aoffensiye partisanship," because
he had neglected his wife and baby. 50
next day the other baby was prayed FOR.
Never before in the house Of congress was
the birth Of any American citizen the oc-
casion of official action. AS both babies
were girls the new departure was jocular-
" mentioned as q triumph for the cause
Of woman, to offset the snubbing that Wo-
man suffrage received in the senate last
week.
Senator ingalls,. Of Kansas, is unwilling
to treat the house with any more defer
ence than that body shows the senate, I'M
like the father of his country" who was
unwilling that a Negro should be more
polite than himself. When Senator Har-
ris, of Tennessee, moved that at the con-
clusion Of morning business, each day, the
senate proceed to consider house bills,
Mr.. ingalls, inquired whether the house
had resolved to devote any particular time
to the consideration OF senate bills, SO that
there should be q decent interchange OF
courtesy in the matter.
Senator Dawes suggested that it was out
of order to discuss modes Of business in
the other house Thereupon the senator
from Kansas hoped that the senator from
Massachusetts, would possess his soul in
patience. The idea that there was some
divinity hedging about the house Of rep
resentatiyes, SO that nobody could mention
it without getting on his knees was a si-
perstition that ought to be abandoned.
When the bill appropriating $4,000
for a special distribution Of seed to the
drought stricken countiesof Texas wascall-
ed up in the senate, it was advocated by
Senator Coke Of that state, while several
republican senators raised constitutional
questions. Mr.. Edmunds asked if the
people Of those counties could not buy
seed on credit, just as farmers of other
states did. Senator Hoar asked the Texas
senator to state the constitutional ground
on which he supported the bill, and the
latter raised a laugh by saying, Not at
this time" MIR. Hoar said he had hoped
that if the senate voted to furnish seed to
Texas, Texas would furnish constitutional
law to the senate. Still he would vote for
the bill with pleasure.
Here Gen. Hawley appealed to Mr..
Coke not to press the bill out of regard for
the history of Texas-that great Empire
state. old and rich. He characterized the
bill as passing around the hat" and said
if his little state of Connecticut came here
begging for $4,000 for garden seed and
got it, he would resign.
Mr.. Coke repudiated the idea OF this
bill being a case of passing the hat
Texas was not asking for charity. It was
merely in line with bills in former con
crosses, for relief Of people in Ohio, Kan
.sas. Alabama, and other states. Senator
ingalls, admitted that there were many pre-
ceaents for the appropriation, and said il
Texas could afford to take the money he
could afford to vote for it. After Mr.
SALISBURY. of Delaware, also admitted that
there were plenty of p%rcedents for it, but
added that he had never voted for such
bills and he never would. The seed fol
Texas carried the senate by two for one.
The social world of Washington has
been very brilliant for the past few weeks
Mrs. Cleveland has abandoned her semi
weekly "at homes" however, because
they were regarded by many as public re
ceptions. They were instituted for tht
friends and acquaintance of the lady 0.
the white house, but the opportunity wa
grossly abused by crowds Of people Whest